


Successor of the Blood

by hautecleres



Category: Code Vein (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood, Canonical Character Death, Depression, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fights, Friends to Lovers, I'm uploading this again but making it better, Original Character(s), Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Revised Version, Slow Burn, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:41:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26094316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hautecleres/pseuds/hautecleres
Summary: It has been five years since the Great Collapse happened.In those five years, Hope has been searching for a man named Juzo Mido, the instigator of the Great Collapse and the leader of the failed Project QUEEN. Her objective was to cut him down and avenge Cruz Silva, the main subject of Project QUEEN who later frenzied as a result of the experiments.An organization called Code Vein invites her and her sister, Io, to join their forces and take down Mido. In joining, Hope finds herself searching for more answers than she originally intended to do. Their leader, Louis, is a man who brings her further away from finding the truth. A man who makes her question her reason for fighting and draws out new feelings. Their organization is one that leaves her in a daze. Why were there so many questions left unanswered?The truth lies in her blood.
Relationships: Louis (Code Vein)/Original Character(s), Louis/Protagonist (Code Vein)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I originally published this story sometime last year and then deleted it because I wasn't really happy with the direction it was going in. Somehow, I've fallen back into Code Vein hell and now I'm revamping this story! If you read the original, lots of things will be different. One more thing before we start: This is an alternate universe that I'm mixing in elements from the canon story. A lot of it will be explained as the story goes on. :)

The city of Vein had never been a lively place.

Hope can recall with clarity the monotony of life before the Great Collapse. With each generation being born with weaker immune systems, people feared that humanity was on the brink of collapse. She can recall how the government introduced Project QUEEN, and how they were working to find a solution to improve the quality of life in Vein and the rest of the world. 

But Project QUEEN had been a failure. The result had caused the main subject, Cruz Silva, to enter a frenzy and reign terror on the city. And in its wake, the world began to crumble as the Great Collapse happened. 

Hope had never been able to recall the Great Collapse fully. There were blanks in her memory, and she had been asleep for most of the time until her blood transfusion had been completed. Every time she tried to recall the event, she would experience a sharp pain in her head. Her hair, no longer the dark blue it had been, had turned as white as snow when she had awoken.

The city of Vein had never been lively, but Hope had felt more alive in the years after the Great Collapse. Whatever the reason behind her sudden surge of living was, she wouldn't be able to pinpoint. The Great Collapse left behind the red mist, the miasma, hordes of Lost, and a feeling of helplessness among revenants, but Hope had found the answer to ending it all. 

There's a knock on the door that stopped Hope's train of thought, and she quickly slipped on her boots. "Come in," she said as she gathered her belongings and picked up her giant axe. Nowadays, any type of weapon was valuable. The Lost continued to grow everyday. Hope turned around when the door opened and looked to find her sister, Io, holding her purifier mask.

"I think it's time we head to the location," Io said thoughtfully. She already had her Blood Veil on, the black cloak a stark contrast to her white dress. Hope never understood her sister's attire, but never questioned it, either. 

"You're right," Hope nodded at her as she took her mask from Io and slipped it on. "We're burning daylight here. If the intel was correct, the location shouldn't be that far from here."

The answer to helping the revenants was to find and kill Juzo Mido. She only had her intuition to rely on, but there was a part of Hope that believed that Mido was still alive. He was the head of Project QUEEN, and was known to have a shady record. The amount of money the government dumped onto the project raised even more suspicion. The government was the one who announced his death. Surely, Hope thought, he was still alive. They would provide proof of his death otherwise.

For Hope, it was personal. What others would consider to be blind justice, Hope was seeking him out for another reason. More than just ending the revenants’ suffering. It had been five years since the Great Collapse, and she had a feeling she was coming close to a huge lead. She had to.

Hope and Io stood outside of an abandoned warehouse not far from the building that they were temporarily residing in. It was originally one of the supply warehouses for Project QUEEN, and according to the man she got the information from, there were a couple of files regarding the logistics of the operation. She narrowed her eyes as she eyed the building up and down. 

“Something doesn’t feel right,” Hope said to Io. It felt as if there was someone watching them.

“Would you like me to accompany you?” Io asked her. She rarely tagged along when Hope would gather information, but it was as if Io can feel that something was amiss as well. As much as she loathed to bring along her sister, who rarely fought in the first place unless absolutely necessary, Hope knew it was the best option.

“It might be necessary,” She said as she walked towards the building. “Just make sure to keep your guard up.”

Io nodded before holding her polearm close to her chest. It was eerily silent as they wandered the building. The sun loomed through the glass ceiling, providing them light. Many crates were scattered around the place, but Hope didn’t bother to take the time to look through them. The more they wandered through the building, she felt more uneasy. They would have to find the documents as soon as possible. 

She hadn’t been looking where she was stepping because she took a step forward and felt something snap beneath her foot.

“Shit--” Hope cursed before suddenly there was a crash behind them. They looked to see a hoard of Lost emerging from a hole in the wall that most likely appeared once Hope stepped on the string.

It had been a trap. 

Hope knew she shouldn’t have jumped the gun when the information was shady to begin with in the first place. This wasn’t her first time a lead on Mido had conjured up a cold trail, but to be thrusted into a confined space with a group of Lost was the last thing she had wanted to happen. Perhaps the man who provided her that information had known what she was looking for and wanted to throw her off course, hoping the Lost would finish her off. That man was sorely mistaken if a group of Lost was enough to sweep her off her feet.

Maneuvering through the abandoned building was no easy task, especially since Io tagged along with her this time around. 

“Io, behind you!” Hope yelled to her sister as one of the Lost approached her. Io quickly thrusted her polearm forward as it implanted itself into the Lost’s chest.. The Lost fell to the ground with a thud. She let out a huff before running to Hope, their backs to one another. This was a rather peculiar position for the both of them. It wasn’t the first time they had to fend off the Lost, but to do so when their only way out was blocked off was not a good sign. She could hear more of the Lost gathering in the distance. Hope clenched her teeth.

“More are coming,” Io huffed out. She wasn’t used to fighting this many Lost at one time. Hope felt guilty for dragging her into the building when it was already shady enough, but it proved to be a saving grace that she brought Io along. She wouldn’t have been able to get to the entrance on her own.

“I know,” Hope responded as she quickly swung her axe toward two Lost that ran right at her. The impact from her axe caused them to fly back, colliding with more Lost that had arrived. “This isn’t looking good. We’re surrounded and our only way out is blocked off. I’m not sure how much longer we could last before the last of our strength is used up.”

She hated that such thoughts invaded her mind. They had come so far in searching for Mido, spent so much time gathering information on the man to know well enough that he couldn’t be dead. It was the government that was covering up his death, and Hope had made it her mission to track him down and end his life. She bit her lip. Everything that they had fought for couldn’t end now. It couldn’t. She clung desperately to the thread of fate, hoping that a saving grace would save both her and Io’s lives.

Her head shot up as the pounding of footsteps entered her ears. “Do you hear that?” Hope asked Io. She suddenly felt another presence in the building. It was the same presence that watched over as her and Io entered the building. Wait, no, there was more than one person…

Her prayers were answered as a shot whipped past both her and Io and into one of the Lost. They both turned their attention upward and saw three figures appear. They all hopped down and immediately got to work on the Lost. It seemed as if time had sped up for Hope as they dealt with the Lost in a quick manner. If she didn’t know any better, she had thought it only took them seconds to take out all of them. Once the last of the Lost were cut down, the group turned their attention to her and Io. She felt her sister look over her shoulder cautiously.

“We’ve been looking for the two of you,” one of them, the only female in the group, spoke up as she rested her bayonet over her shoulder. “Took us quite some time to track you down, but I didn’t expect us to meet under these circumstances.”

“Who are you people?” Hope asked them immediately. She narrowed her eyes at them. She didn’t sense them as threats, but that could change in an instant. “It’s not everyday that you’re told that you’re being tracked down.”

“Easy there, we’re not here to harm you,” another one, this time a male with dark red hair, entered the conversation. “I think us helping you out with the Lost is enough for you to trust us.”

“You can’t trust many people these days,” Hope told him. “Everyone knows that we are out here fighting for survival everyday. And most times, the people you so easily trust can lead you to your downfall.” She lifted her axe. “I’ll ask you again: Who are you people? And why have you been looking for us?”

The redhead was about to speak up before the last one of their group, a male with charcoal black hair, held up his hand. He took a step forward and Hope tightened her grip on her axe. “You are Hope, correct? And the woman behind you must be your older sister, Io.”

“How do you know my name?” She asked hastily. She was ready to cut him down.

“I have sources everywhere," He told her. "If I may ask, have you heard of Code Vein?"

Hope scoffed. He was asking her baby questions. "Of course I do," Hope answered. "I can't think of a single revenant that has never heard of that organization before. They're known to have outrun the government so many times, and to help revenants that desperately need help." Her eyes widened as the gears turned in her head. She slowly lowered her axe.

"I'm sure you have figured out why I asked you that," the man said before he took another step forward. "These are my companions Yakumo and Mia. And I'm Louis, the leader of Code Vein."

 _'Louis… why did that name sound so familiar?'_ Hope thought to herself as she rested the head of her axe on the floor. She leaned against it before glancing back at Io, who had moved off slightly to the side. 

"I'm aware of your search for Mido," Louis stated. "It's rare when you hear that someone is searching for a dead man."

Hope clicked her tongue at his words. "He's not dead," she claimed.

"And how do you know that?"

She paused for a moment, carefully crafting her answer in her head. "The government was the one who announced his death. They've been shady from the start, providing him the funds to work on Project QUEEN in the first place. I believe that they are covering up his death, and there is not much time left before he decides to reveal himself again, ultimately bringing a larger calamity than the Great Collapse."

She watched as Louis took her words in with care before he sheathed his sword. His crimson eyes bore into her golden eyes. Whatever he was feeling, he was good at hiding it. Perhaps it was a leader thing to keep his composure. Silence hung in the air until finally,

"What if I told you that you are correct that he is not dead?"

That definitely got her attention. Hope clenched her teeth, her blood feeling as if it was on fire. Her gut feeling didn't lead her wrong in the five years her and Io were thrusted into this life. For once, she thanked the Gods that she had been right about Mido all along.

But then, "Why are you telling me this?"

"As it just so happens, Code Vein has been searching for Mido since our organization has started. We have felt that you and Io would make great additions to our team," Louis got straight to the point. She liked that. It wasn't often that she encountered someone who didn't beat around the bush. "We have kept a close eye on the capabilities of the both of you and have come to the conclusion that adding you to our ranks would help tremendously."

"And if we refuse?" Hope asked immediately.

"I feel that this is an offer that you cannot afford to refuse," Louis refuted. "Though we do not know your reasons, you are quite intent on finding Mido. In the five years since the Great Collapse happened, this might be the closest lead you can find on him. How can you refuse?"

He got her there. This was something that she couldn't refuse no matter what. At least he wasn't threatening her. Yet. Louis made it very clear that Code Vein can help her and Io. And for once, maybe it'd be nice to work with a group that trusted their capabilities as fighters. Despite that, Hope kept her guard up. Io was now at Hope's side, resting her hand on her shoulder. Even through her mask, Hope can see the small smile Io was giving her through her eyes.

"I feel like we can trust them," Io spoke up for the first time since Louis and the others arrived. 

"I agree," Hope nodded before she turned her attention to Louis. She took a few steps forward before she was standing in front of him and she looked up. She held out her hand. "If you will take us, we will join you."

He took his hand in hers and they shook hands. "It’s good to have you on the team,” Louis said as he let go of her hand. Yakumo and Mia stood behind him. "We should get out of here. It's time we all headed back to the base."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: Added more exposition at the beginning of the chapter, as well as a few more minor details.


	2. Blood Codes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You had a history with Cruz?" Hope questioned him.
> 
> "It's… complicated, to say the least," Louis slowly answered, his hands balled into fists. His skin felt as if it was on fire, a prickling sensation running through his entire body.
> 
> Hope looked down at her hands with a frown. "She wasn't that much older than me. And despite everything that she was going through, I had never seen anyone more hopeful for the future than Cruz was. She was proud to be the one who could bring about a brighter future for our world." 
> 
> A thick silence rang through the air before she let out a shaky sigh. "I was wondering why your name sounded so familiar. Cruz mentioned you all the time when I visited her."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am no doctor, so I'm sorry if the blood tests made no sense!
> 
> I should also mention that everyone is humans in this AU, but regardless they are referred to as revenants. So although they are humans, they all harness the powers they would have in the main game.

The ride back to their base was quiet with Louis at the wheel. Their base wasn’t far from the abandoned building they had found Hope and Io. As the chapel came into view, Louis felt a presence lingering over his shoulder. He turned to find Hope staring straight ahead, her gaze fixated on the chapel.

Though it was no longer in glorious condition due to the damage the Great Collapse caused, it looked abandoned enough that no one would dare look inside. 

"There's a mistle inside," Louis informed Hope. "It'll be safe to take our masks off there."

“It’s not everyday you find a mistle,” Hope murmured. “I’m surprised that your base is so out in the open. How has the government not been able to find you yet?”

Louis took a moment to drive past the chapel to park the van behind the building. Once it was concealed by the thick trees, he stopped the car. “We’re far off the beaten path that we haven’t encountered any unwanted visitors since we first got here,” Louis told her as everyone got out of the van. “Besides, this isn’t just any normal chapel. You’ll see once we head inside.”

Hope gave him a curious look but he ignored it as he led everyone inside. He heard Yakumo let out a yawn as he stretched out his arms. Mia let out a deep breath as she took off her mask. Hope and Io followed suit. They had small smiles on their faces.

“My, when was the last time you guys were able to take off your masks?” Mia questioned them. As Louis took a closer look, he could see the large imprint the masks left on their faces.

“The last building we were in didn't have a mistle,” Io spoke up slowly as she looked down at her mask. “We can’t afford to take off our masks unless there is one present. No one can.”

There was truth to her words. Louis might have been lucky to be able to take off his mask freely in the chapel, but there are many revenants in the city who probably haven’t taken theirs off in months, or even years. That was another problem he planned on tackling, so no more revenants would inhale the miasma and turn into one of the Lost. It was the least he could do after--

“Hey, are we going to show them the rest of the base or what?” Yakumo snapped him out of his thoughts. Louis did his best to regain his composure.

“Right,” He answered before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a remote. He pressed the button and waited before the ground began to shake below them. Louis took a step back as the floor began to open up. In the corner of his eye, he saw Hope and Io watch the mechanism with anticipation. A staircase descended underground.

As they all started to head down, Hope hung back to give Louis a knowing look. “So this is what you meant,” she said before she followed after Io. Louis nodded before he followed after her, and he pressed the button once more for the floor to cover up.

“Ah, I see you’ve brought home the new recruits!” Murasame welcomed them back as always. “Didn’t take you guys too long to find them, I see.”

“This is Murasame,” Louis gestured to the petite woman standing in front of them, her hands resting on both hips. She flashed all of them an easygoing smile. “She’s our weaponsmith. If you ever need an upgrade on your weapon, she’s the one you want to talk to.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you!” Murasame said as she stepped from side to side. “Coco and Davis would’ve been here to greet you guys as well, but they’re both out on errands. They should be back by tonight, so introductions could be made by then.”

“Make yourselves comfortable,” Louis gestured to the entire base. “We’ll have rooms arranged for the two of you by tonight.”

“And some new clothes,” Mia told Hope and Io. “I’m sure you guys would appreciate some clean clothes and a hot shower.”

Hope blinked at Mia’s words. “You… You guys have running water?”

Louis watched as Yakumo headed for the bar; Mia, Hope, and Io made idle conversation. It wasn’t enough for them to warm up to each other fully, but he hoped in time that everyone would forge close bonds with one another. Especially when they all needed to work together in combat. Speaking of combat…

“There’s something I need from the both of you,” Louis turned his attention to the newcomers. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to figure out what both of your Blood Codes are.”

“Blood Code?” Io asked, her head tilted to the side in curiosity.

Louis held out his right hand and pointed to the band that tightly gripped his wrist. “I do it with every new member we get should we all have to head out to battle. My sister was able to learn that every person has a unique Blood Code by examining their blood work and their genetic code. As revenants, this miasma can be our downfall, but it has also altered our bodies to adjust and fight against the evils roaming the streets. We use these bands to use our unique Blood Code to its full extent.”

“Interesting,” Hope nodded, resting her hand underneath her chin. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’d like for you to examine my Blood Code first.”

He flashed her a smile. “Once you’re all washed up, come find me.”

An hour went by before Hope told him that he was ready, and he took her to their makeshift infirmary a floor below the main room. She had stripped down from the clothes she wore earlier and donned the clothing they provided her. Louis noted that she appeared much shorter as well. “Lay down on the bed,” He told her, gesturing to the infirmary bed that was prepared. She gave him a blank stare. Louis tilted his head to the side. “Is something the matter?”

“Nothing at all,” she coughed into her hand before climbing into the bed. Louis nodded as he walked over to retrieve the machine to identify Hope’s Blood Code. He prepared the needle, cotton ball, and gauze and set them on the tray before he rolled everything over to where she laid.

He prepared the machine as Hope wriggled on the infirmary bed almost uncomfortably. Louis tried to flash her a reassuring smile. "Try your best to relax. This is the best way I can determine your Blood Code."

"Your team certainly has been busy with work after the Great Collapse," Hope tried her best to make conversation. Louis lifted her arm and he looked her in the eyes before sticking the needle in the crease of her arm, aiming for the vein. She let out a hiss as she saw her blood being drained through the tube.

"After we learned that everyone has a unique Blood Code, we did our best to do more research in hopes that it could help others in combat," Louis responded as his eyes fixated on the computer screen. He waited for the code to load and process Hope's blood. "It's rather interesting if I'm quite honest."

Hope hummed at his words. She seemed to have relaxed more now, her body languid in the infirmary bed as she waited for the machine to collect the necessary blood. "You seem quite dedicated to your work as leader.”

"Well, I was shadowing my sister before the Great Collapse. Science had always fascinated me--" Louis was cut off the moment the machine started beeping loudly. His eyebrows furrowed at the sound. It has never done that before. He began pressing some keys before the results popped up on the screen.

**_Blood Code: Void_ **

Louis took a good look at the blood work and his eyes widened.

“Why…”

Hope gave him a concerned look. She sat up carefully. “Everything okay there?”

He recognized all the blood cells. Recognized the patterns in Hope’s genetic code. Both of them were identical to Cruz’s when she was still alive. It could’ve just been a mere coincidence, but Louis knew that Cruz was the only one in the city whose genetic code and blood were nearly perfect for the experiments.

But why was Hope’s Blood Code called Void? Perhaps he made a mistake? No, Louis’ machines had never once failed him. These were the exact results from draining her blood. There was more to Hope than he had originally anticipated.

Louis swallowed thickly before asking, “Why is your genetic code identical to the Queen’s?”

She blinked at his question. “You’re referring to Cruz, yes?”

His mouth went agape. “So you know--”

“I knew her, alright,” Hope sharply inhaled. “My mother worked for project QUEEN. That was how I got to know Cruz.”

“But there should be no reason why your genetic code should be identical to hers,” Louis stressed, running a hand through his hair. “Unless…” _Unless she’s similar to Karen._ Nicola, Emily, and Aurora, too. But when he scanned their Blood Codes, they were all unique. Their genetic codes were not altered in the slightest.

He was receiving more questions than answers.

“My sister and her partner worked on the same project,” Louis told her. “Since I knew Cruz pretty well, I was allowed a visitor’s pass to see her.”

"Did you have a history with Cruz?" Hope questioned him.

"It's… complicated, to say the least," Louis slowly answered, his hands balled into fists. His skin felt as if it was on fire, a prickling sensation running through his entire body.

Hope looked down at her hands with a frown. "She wasn't that much older than me. And despite everything that she was going through, I had never seen anyone more hopeful for the future than Cruz was. She was proud to be the one who could bring about a brighter future for our world." 

A thick silence rang through the air before she let out a shaky sigh. "I was wondering why your name sounded so familiar. Cruz mentioned you all the time when I visited her."

"She rarely had visitors," Louis said to her. "If anything, I thought I was the only one who visited her."

"She knew I wasn't supposed to be seeing her," Hope let out a light chuckle. "Perhaps that's why she always mentioned you to me. To let me know that she was never alone." She paused. "You meant so much to her. I knew that much whenever she spoke of you."

“Odd how I’ve never seen you at the lab,” Louis chuckled slightly as he moved over to remove the needle from Hope’s arm. He took the gauze that he put aside and wrapped it around her arm, stuffing a cotton ball where the needle had drained her blood. “I’m sure I would’ve recognized someone with hair like yours. We didn’t even run into each other, either.”

She mumbled something under her breath that Louis couldn’t exactly hear.

“I’m sorry?”

“Some questions just can’t be answered,” Hope said instead before shrugging. She let out a hiss through clenched teeth. “Like my genetic code. Unfortunately, I don’t understand why mine is identical to Cruz’s, but I think I have an inkling on how it came to be.”

“You do?”

She nodded. Hope turned her head to look him right in the eye, her facial expression almost unreadable. But when Louis looked closer, she could see the faint glimmer of despair in her eyes.

“The Great Collapse.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: Added a few more minor details.


	3. The Great Collapse ~ Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm sorry I couldn't have been of more help," she said regretfully.
> 
> "Quite the opposite, actually," Louis reassured her as he offered his hand to her. She took it and he helped her off the infirmary bed. "You actually gave me a lot more to think about regarding what I've learned from you today."
> 
> Without her boots, Hope was able to process how much smaller she was than him. Her head was barely above his shoulders. She fixed her posture and cleared her throat awkwardly. "I-I'm not sure what exactly that means, but I'm assuming that it's good."
> 
> Louis nodded and for the first time since she arrived at the base, he gave her a genuine smile. "It is good. Thank you, Hope."
> 
> "Ah, no problem," she said, ignoring the way her face was heating up. She just met the guy, there was absolutely no way she could be this flustered around him already. Hope just prayed that she would be able to keep her cool composure in battle like always around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: I should make it clear that while I do know the Great Collapse happened before Cruz frenzied, I wanted to take my own spin on this universe I'm creating in the story. Sorry if I'm not fully following through with canon!
> 
> Edit 2: Added more minor details.

Five years ago…

_She remembered how the desperate screams of innocent civilians rang in her ears as buildings began to collapse around her. She remembered how the ground cracked beneath them and opened up with large cavities or shooting upward jagged. The world was falling apart. Was this the moment she was meant to experience? Did her life serve the purpose of experiencing the tragedy that descended upon them?_

_And yet most of the events seemed like a blur to Hope. She had experienced the Great Collapse with her own eyes, watched as havoc wreaked the entire city. This was the new reality that was set in stone._

_The lab her mother worked at was completely destroyed. Her mother had most likely died. The sky was painted a crimson red, and it didn’t look like that dreadful red was never going to leave the sky. It was the same red that stained her clothes, stained her hands. Was there blood running down her head too? She wasn’t too sure. She remembered how Cruz displayed the powers the BOR parasite had given her. But it wasn’t the Cruz she knew. This was the Queen that Mido so desperately wanted to create. Not to help humanity._

_To destroy humanity._

_Her memories are a blur. Images flash in her mind as she tried to recollect the events that happened that day. Why the Queen had confronted her, with so many dead surrounding the two of them. Why couldn’t she remember?_

_There was blood. Blood that wasn’t hers. But how did that blood get on her hands? Whose blood was on her hands? Why couldn’t she remember?_

_The world became a blur when suddenly she was falling forward and the world went black. And then suddenly she woke up again, surrounded by white. The Great Collapse had ended. The tragedy she experienced was no more. And Io was at her bedside, crying, hugging her, whispering that she was so glad that she came out alive._

_A doctor came in and he told her that they had to perform a blood transfusion. He held an unreadable expression as he explained that the blood had been donated, but he never went into detail from who exactly the blood came from. And although she suffered major injuries and was in critical condition for a week, the blood transfusion had expedited her recovery and increased her chances of survival._

_Why couldn’t she remember?_

_Why was the Great Collapse such a blur to her when others were able to recall their experiences with such clarity?_

_Why?_

_…_

“Fuck--” Hope hissed as a headache wracked her entire body. She put a hand up to her forehead, the headache feeling as if it was squeezing her head. She felt like she was on fire. Louis gave her a concerned look and she gently swatted his hand away. “I’m fine, I’m fine. This always happens.”

She looked up at him and she saw the look of surprise on his face. Louis took a step back before his expression softened. Hope quirked an eyebrow. "Is something the matter?"

Louis immediately shook his head. "Nothing at all," He told her.

He went quiet for a moment. His eyebrow furrowed before he let out a sigh. “I can’t imagine what could have possibly happened for you to forget so much,” Louis told her. “When going through a stressful event, there’s the chance it can inflict trauma on a person without them realizing it. You could also be experiencing memory loss. But it wouldn’t explain the headache…” He pondered her story and Hope can see the gears trying to desperately turn in his head.

"I do remember one thing after I had woken up," Hope spoke quietly as she played with her hands. "My body felt lighter, almost as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I felt different in ways that I couldn't fathom. It felt that after the blood transfusion, my life and body had finally found a purpose. What that purpose is, I can't say exactly. But it feels as if I have finally found meaning in this world." 

She intentionally left out the part about her hair changing colors. That was information she wasn’t willing to share just yet. She already exposed much of her past by mentioning the blood transfusion.

"So you're suggesting that there's the possibility that Cruz's blood was used to perform your blood transfusion," Louis drank in her words as he glanced back at the computer. "There are some questions that I still have regarding that theory, but it's a start."

"I'm sorry I couldn't have been of more help," she said regretfully.

"Quite the opposite, actually," Louis reassured her as he offered his hand to her. She took it and he helped her off the infirmary bed. "You actually gave me a lot more to think about regarding what I've learned from you today."

Without her boots, Hope was able to process how much smaller she was than him. Her head was barely above his shoulders. She was at a disadvantage in a fight against Louis if she fought him at her current height. She fixed her posture and cleared her throat awkwardly. "I'm not sure what exactly that means, but I'm assuming that it's good."

Louis nodded and for the first time since she arrived at the base, he gave her a genuine smile. "It is good. Thank you, Hope."

"Ah, no problem," she said, ignoring the way her face was heating up. She just met the guy, there was absolutely no way she could be this flustered around him already. Hope just prayed that she would be able to keep her cool composure in battle like always around him.

"When you head up, can you tell Io to come down?" Louis asked her before she ascended the staircase to the main room. "I'll need to scan her Blood Code as well. Perhaps hers can provide me some insight on yours, seeing as the two of you are sisters."

"Right," Hope swallowed thickly before she nodded. "I'll let her know."

After returning to the main room, she informed Io that Louis wanted to scan her Blood Code now. Her sister looked as if she was about to ask her a question, but Io’s eyes communicated _‘We can talk later.’_

She wondered if anyone else was able to read the expression on her face. To be honest, Hope wasn’t even sure how exactly she was feeling at that moment. She felt another zap in her head and clenched her teeth. It was time she headed to bed for the night. Hope trudged past Mia as she went to the bedroom that they had graciously prepared for her.

It had been quite some time since the last time she slept in a proper bed. She lingered on the edge of her bed before pulling the covers back. Her mind became a jumbled mess. Louis was the first one aside from Io that learned of her recollection of events during the Great Collapse. Eventually, she would have to open to the others soon, should they also share their experiences. Still, it wasn’t often that she opened up to anyone so willing, even just hours after their first meeting. There was something about him, she thought.

Hope’s room was dark as she stared up at the ceiling. Even with a new resting place, she still felt uneasy. There were so many questions she had now that Louis scanned her Blood Code. Was there something she was missing?

No, her main goal when joining his organization was to join forces to find Mido. Even if her Blood Code was different from others, it was only supposed to help her in battle. Perhaps she didn’t have to worry about it too much. How can she have answers when there were fragments of her memory that she clearly couldn’t recall?

Even as she struggled to fall asleep, somehow she wasn’t too fond of leaving so many questions unanswered.


	4. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He closed his eyes and took a moment to think. There must have been some sort of correlation between Hope’s memories and her Blood Code. And not to mention, her _eyes_. He had seen the way they flashed azure before fading into a golden hue. It reminded him of when a revenant's eyes would turn red when they were draining ichor from one of the Lost, or when they were on the verge of frenzy.
> 
> However, Hope’s eyes turned a similar shade to Cruz’s. He loathed to think that it almost looked exactly as hers when she frenzied as the Queen. Did Cruz have an indirect impact on Hope’s memories if it was her blood that was used in the blood transfusion?

_Prometheus. Atlas. Artemis. Eos._

_Mercury. Hephaestus. Hermes._

_Demeter. Isis. Fionn. Scathach._

_**Void.** _

Louis stared at the myriad of Blood Codes presented before him. Each one was unique to its owner, and each one had its own Gifts. Gifts provided additional powers in battle, whether it be boosting their strength or allowing them to conjure magic. They were a lifesaver in battle, and he couldn’t thank Karen and Aurora enough for making the discovery so quickly. Karen was reluctant to continue doing research but Aurora had convinced her. 

He had found that Io’s Blood Code was not the same as Hope’s. Many questions were laid out before him, and he wished he had answers. He even conducted a DNA test to confirm that they were indeed related. Louis leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eye. The computer screen was beginning to cause strain. He had a horrible habit of delving into his research for too long, but the situation at hand begged him to find answers immediately.

He closed his eyes and took a moment to think. There must have been some sort of correlation between Hope’s memories and her Blood Code. And not to mention, her _eyes_. He had seen the way they flashed azure before fading into a golden hue. It reminded him of when a revenant's eyes would turn red when they were draining ichor from one of the Lost, or when they were on the verge of frenzy. 

However, Hope’s eyes turned a similar shade to Cruz’s. He loathed to think that it almost looked exactly as hers when she frenzied as the Queen. Did Cruz have an indirect impact on Hope’s memories if it was her blood that was used in the blood transfusion?

Louis let out a frustrated groan as he tugged on his hair. He felt as if he was at the cusp of finding an answer, but he found that the answer led to even more questions. Was it ever going to end?

Hope didn’t have a specific Blood Code. That much was clear. It was possible the blood transfusion messed with her original Blood Code. Louis continued to hypothesize the reasons behind her Void Blood Code. He opened his eyes and turned his attention to the IV bag filled with Hope’s blood. He quickly stood up and unattached the bag from the machine. If swimming in his thoughts wasn’t going to help, it was time for Louis to do some digging.

The machine often drained a lot of blood from its owner. Louis made sure to keep the blood in case of an emergency and one of his comrades needed extra blood. He dug through the bin before he found the bag labeled with his name. He gathered together several glasses and a syringe along with a tongue scraper.

There was something that he was missing. He remembered Karen talking very briefly about Void-type Blood Codes. They were incredibly rare among revenants, but there were fragments in their Blood Code that could be altered and bent to the user's will, allowing them to take on any Blood Code they desired. 

He was careful as he poured a good amount of Hope's blood into one of the glasses before sealing the bag. Louis gingerly opened up the IV bag full of his blood and took the syringe, extracting only a few ounces. He released his blood into hers and used the tongue scraper to mix them together. At the surface, the solution of blood looked the same. But if Louis' hypothesis was correct, the machine would process a different Blood Code.

Louis inserted a tube into the glass and started up the machine once more. It sucked up all the blood as it flooded into a new IV bag. He felt on edge as he anxiously awaited the results. Finally, the machine let out a single beep before the results were displayed on the screen.

**_Blood Code: Prometheus_ **

His eyes scanned the screen for any abnormalities. Hope's genetic code had remained untouched, but it was her blood work that displayed drastic changes. Fragments of Louis' blood cells were found in the blood work. His blood cells were shaped like crescents, and they latched onto regular blood cells. He wasn't entirely sure how it worked, but it definitely gave Karen something to look at once she came back.

He let out a sigh of relief that he didn't realize he was holding back. Hope's blood reacted to his, meaning that it would only take a few drops of blood from another person for her to obtain their Blood Code. She was sure to be a huge help in battles if she was able to utilize different Blood Codes, providing them an edge or even an advantage.

For a moment, he thought of doing the same with either Yakumo's or Mia's blood. However, Louis decided against including their Blood Codes in Hope’s blood band. Hope would have to earn their Blood Codes overtime. A rush ran through his body. Developing Hope's blood band would be interesting, indeed. Louis couldn't bring himself to put down his work.

He worked late into the night, developing her blood band. Hope's would have to function differently than the others. It would take a few prototypes before she was able to have her own. Some training would help do some good in order to test out the prototypes, and it would also give Louis a good feel for how she fought in battle. To see her close in action would help Louis understand her better.

After all, many things were revealed about a person in battle.

When he was done developing the first prototype, Louis stood up and stretched out his back. He needed to get out of the infirmary and move his body around. He would move his work up to his room later. When he made it back to the main floor, Louis had to squint his eyes. Although they were well underground, part of their base had an opening that looked out to the city. The sun began to rise as light started to slip in. He spent too much time in the infirmary if it was already sunrise.

“Look who came out of their cocoon,” a sultry voice called out to him. Louis turned his head as his eyes met Coco’s. She gave him a small smile as she leaned against her car. “You must have been incredibly focused if you didn’t hear us coming in.”

“Yeah, Boss!” Oliver nearly yelled before profusely apologizing, not wanting to wake up the other members in the base. “What’s got you all cooped up in the infirmary?”

“Perhaps it has something to do with our new recruits,” Davis proposed. “Hope and Io, the two sisters that have been searching for Mido these past five years. I’m surprised they decided to join us so willingly.”

“You hit it right on the nail, Davis,” Louis nodded at his companions. They all gave him a curious look. “There’s something about Hope that is interesting. Her Blood Code… it’s nothing like I’ve seen before. Unfortunately, there’s only so much that I can do on my own. I’ll need to wait for Karen and Aurora to come back from Silva’s base.”

“You’re in luck,” Coco told him as Oliver and Davis hauled some boxes out of the trunk of her car. “We got word that the Successors will be returning in a few days. It seems that the tests are running well. None of them are displaying any signs of frenzy.”

“That’s good,” He swallowed thickly at her words. “It would do us no good if the Queen were to be revived.” A long silence emanated the room before Louis cleared his throat. “Oliver, I have a favor to ask of you.”

“Yes, Boss?”

“Tomorrow, I’ll be bringing out the new recruits to do some training. I want you to tag along. There’s something that I want to test out,” Louis said. “I know you just got back, but I would appreciate it.”

“That would be no trouble at all,” Oliver reassured him as he flashed a wide grin. “I’m very curious to meet them, actually. I’ve been told that one of their skills in battle is unparalleled!” He nearly jumped around in excitement. “Just give me a holler when you’re ready.”

“Thank you,” Louis smiled before he let out a small yawn. “Now, if you will excuse me…” He turned on his heel to ignore the knowing looks on his companions’ faces. He had been up and about all day. He needed to rest. Louis made his way down the hall, past the staircase descending into the infirmary, and turned left. As he continued to walk, he paused as one of the doors opened slowly.

Hope stepped out of her room and closed the door behind her. Her appearance differed now that she wasn’t in her battle attire. She was wearing the clothes that they provided her: a white t-shirt and loose-fitting pants. She looked drastically taller and that was when Louis made note that she was wearing her boots. She narrowed her eyes at him slightly once they made eye contact, but her expression softened. “You look exhausted,” she bluntly pointed out.

“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” Louis told her despite the exhaustion present in his voice. She only gave him another look, clearly not convinced. “What are you doing up right now? The sun just came up.”

“Force of habit,” Hope replied as she folded both of her arms behind her back. “It’s hard to sleep in. I’m not used to it at all.” She paused for a moment before clearing her throat. “Well, I’ll be checking on Io. I just want to make sure she’s doing okay. Get some rest, Louis.” She nodded at him before walking past him.

Louis couldn’t muster a response as he continued forward. He finally reached his room and swung the door open before closing it in the same manner. The sound ricocheted through his room. He stepped over piles of books and papers before sitting on the edge of his bed. He removed his shoes before he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Louis squinted. 

Hope was right. He did look exhausted. The thought left his mind once his head hit the pillow, and he was drifting off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: Added a few minor details.


End file.
